


The Perfect Ice Prince

by monstabaebae



Category: (여자)아이들 | (G)I-DLE, ATEEZ (Band), TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: College AU, Drabble, First Love, Friends to Lovers, Growing Pains, Ice Skating, Light Angst, M/M, Rivalry, Romance, Series, Slow Burn, Sports Fic, Woosan, figure skating, ice skater san, oneshots, second male lead seonghwa, wooyoung is in love with his best friend
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:13:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27047026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/monstabaebae/pseuds/monstabaebae
Summary: San is the most beautiful being to ever grace the rink and is adored by everyone.His best friend, Wooyoung, is trying to keep his feelings at bay.-Wooyoung is in love with his ice skating best friend and tries to act normal whenever he can.
Relationships: Choi San/Jung Wooyoung, Choi Yeonjun/Kang Yeosang, Jung Wooyoung/Park Seonghwa
Comments: 19
Kudos: 79





	1. Always Near

**Author's Note:**

> Hello lovelies!  
> I'm back with a mini series about Woosan~ I love figure skating and I wanted to incorporate one of my favorite sports with two of my favorite people!  
> This series will mostly be drabbles, filled mostly with warmth, good times/memories and a hardworking San doing loops, lutz and axels.  
> Much like my Joyrene series, this will be a series of healing as we go through these hard times together.
> 
> Feel free to request scenarios or scenes you'd like to see as the story progresses. Each chapter won't be in a particular order, so don't worry about plot points as we go along.  
> It's all about the journey of their relationship, not the destination. <3
> 
> Without further ado, please enjoy!

San was perfect.

Perfect was such an overrated term, but it was the epitome of the said male’s existence.

The way his eyes would crinkle whenever he smiled. The way his dimples would show whenever he would laugh. The attention he would give to someone he was talking to; how respectful he was when talking to the elderly or people of any status.

He always put others above himself and was quick to help those who needed it. He was kind, thoughtful, had a great sense of humor and treated everyone as though they were old friends and the most important person to him in that moment.

He was the epitome of perfection.

However, his true perfection lied whenever he was in his element.

Whenever he was on the ice.

No matter if he were competing or just in practice, San would tug on his warmest clothes and let all his struggles go as soon as he entered the rink. A slow smile would form on his face as he began to stretch and skate in circles for a while, even if it were five in the morning before his college health class.

He had skated for years, what started as a hobby with his parents during the holidays became San’s pride and joy. He skated as often as he could, sometimes going to the rink twice in a day if he couldn’t clear his head or just wanted some extra practice. He would skate for hours, rain or shine and never complained if he fell or made mistakes. He would simply stand back up, brush himself off and try again.

He always put others first and kept his focus on whatever he put his mind to. Inside and outside of the rink, he was a prince; loved and respected by everyone he met.

But on the outside, he always seemed… lonely.

“Hey, Wooyoung! What are you doing here?” San called.

Jumping up from his spot on the bleachers, Wooyoung quickly exited out of his Word document and huffed. “Don’t scare me like that! Why aren’t you practicing?”

San looked unfairly good as he ran a hand through his damp hair, his face flushed from the cold. “I’ve been practicing all afternoon. I had no idea you were here until I glanced over this way, so I decided to come by and say hey. Are you working on some homework?”

Wooyoung thought of his diary, hidden deep on his flash drive and tried not to look guilty. “I did most of my homework last night. I came here to catch up on some of my writing assignments for my English comp class. Thought I’d say hey when you were done for the day.”

“You weren’t gonna tell me you were here? So cruel. You know seeing your face always help me through the roughest of practices.” San leaned over the barrier that was separating the rink from the bleachers, his smile making his eyes crinkle.

“You should take a picture of me, then. It’ll last longer.” Wooyoung stuck out his tongue. He refused to let his heart skip.

“Maybe I will,” San hummed, tilting his head, “When we go out for coffee when I’m done with practice, I can take a picture of you drinking hot cocoa with foam and make it my wallpaper.”

“You’d better not.” Wooyoung narrowed his eyes.

“You won’t know what kind of picture I’ll take unless you let me take one of you. Free sweet beverages and muffins on me.” San grinned, his tone light as he sang his offer.

Wooyoung let out a contemplative sigh, taking his time to glance at his watch before meeting San’s eyes with a shrug. “I suppose I have some time to kill before I have to go to class, as long as you remember to treat your right hip when we get to the café.”

San’s smile faltered. “My hip?”

Wooyoung responded to an email on his laptop from his professor, regarding an exam date change. “Yeah. I noticed you were shaky during your sit spin and you’ve been putting less weight down on your right side. Make sure to take it easy.”

San didn’t respond for a moment, the only sounds were the other skaters practicing in the center of the rink. Wooyoung wanted to hit himself for saying anything about San’s form.

“I’ll meet you for coffee as soon as you’re done. We can walk together if you’d like. Or I can drive us. It’s the least I can do since you’re paying.” Wooyoung looked up at his friend.

The smile slowly returned to San’s face, warm and soft as he nodded. “Sounds good to me. Give me five minutes.”

“Choi San!” San’s instructor, an older woman by the name of Miss Harada, called. “Stop chatting and do a double axel, now!”

“Yes, ma’am.” San called, then looked at Wooyoung with a wink. “Watch this.”

Wooyoung followed San’s retreating figure, taking in how relaxed his friend looked as he began to glide on the ice like he belonged there. His movements were relaxed yet calculated, calm and sure with each step he took.

Then, San picked up speed. He kept his eyes forward as he spun and jumped gracefully along the ice, his limbs precise and nimble as he rounded the corner of the rink. Then, slowly tucking his arms to his chest, he jumped and spun.

Once.

Twice.

_Three times._

And landed perfectly on his feet.

Around him, the other skaters clapped and cheered, all of them having stopped to watch San skate. He was always entrancing to watch.

The teacher rolled her eyes and wrote something on her clipboard. “Well done on your triple axel, San. Next time, don’t show off and stick to your program.”

San rubbed his neck and laughed, bowing to his teammates before looking right at Wooyoung with the biggest smile.

Wooyoung felt his heart pound against his chest. He felt like crying. Watching San do such a beautiful move so seamlessly took his breath away; it always did.

Everything San did was always so beautiful and whenever that beauty was directed at Wooyoung, he never knew what to do except send love in return.

A love he could never express out loud.

But he never minded, for his love would always be safe in his diary and deep in his heart.

So, he waved back and packed up his laptop to meet his best friend for coffee, like best friends always do, taking one last deep breath of the cool air before meeting San at the entrance of the building.

San was changed in some jeans and a t-shirt, his smile warm. “Ready to go?”

Wooyoung smiled, forcing his affection down with a nod. “Whenever you are.”


	2. Study Break

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies!  
> Chapter 2 is now up! I'm doing my best not to make this so angsty but I've never written a series like this before- I have to work harder on the fluff though.  
> I hope you all enjoy!

Wooyoung tapped away at his laptop, moving between his notebook and his assignment at a rapid speed. He barely knew what he was doing anymore, but he did his best to comprehend as much material as he could and copy it all down.

“You alright, Woo?”

San’s voice immediately caused Wooyoung’s fingers to stop in their tracks, his body tensing while his heart began to pound.

Looking up, he met his best friend’s beautiful eyes and forced a nod. “Y-Yeah, I’m fine. Just trying to finish these notes for my sociology class before turning in my paper for my psych class.”

“Why do you have psychology and sociology classes when you’re a creative writing major?” San questioned, sitting down in the chair beside Wooyoung.

Wooyoung shrugged, keeping his eyes between his notes and the screen. “I honestly have no clue, but I’m so exhausted, it’s not even funny.”

“How long have you been working like this?” San sighed.

Wooyoung could feel San’s eyes on his face, but he refused to look. “I honestly have no clue. I started around 3pm and I have no idea what time it is right now.”

San glanced at his watch, then gasped. “Dude, it’s passed midnight! You need to finish the paragraph you’re working on and go to sleep!”

Hearing the time, Wooyoung let out a yawn. “Midnight already? Don’t worry, I don’t have any classes tomorrow, so if I get this done now, I can sleep the day away.”

“Wooyoung,” San’s voice was serious. “You need to some sleep, now.”

“So do you,” Wooyoung shot back, trying not to sound testy. “I know you’ve been at the rink all day today practicing, then went back again after turning in your assignments. You need to take care of yourself too.”

San looked like he wanted to argue, but he merely let out a long sigh. “That’s very true, I can’t argue with that. But I stopped by because you’ve been pushing yourself too hard and I knew you’d be pulling another all-nighter. Please, get some rest.”

Wooyoung ran a hand through his hair, slowly moving to save his document and turn off his laptop. “Why do I give you a key to my apartment again?”

“Because you love me and count down the minutes until you can see me again.” San sang, his smile on full force as he met Wooyoung’s eyes.

 _If only you knew how accurate that statement is_ , Wooyoung thought to himself as he put his things away, his heart twisting in his chest. “Whatever. Go home and snuggle a penguin or something.”

“This is the thanks I get for saving your life from endless homework? You’re so rude.” San pouted, following Wooyoung into his bedroom.

“You didn’t have to come by.” Wooyoung said, collapsing onto his bed with a deep sigh. He had no idea how tired he was until now, he felt like he’d gotten hit by a truck with his growing headache.

“I know, but I wanted to.” San stood near the edge of the bed, looking strangely guilty.

Wooyoung knew that look anywhere. He sat up slowly and raised a brow. “Don’t tell me you were at the skating rink again.”

San rubbed his neck, sheepish. “I just wanted one more practice before bed. I was restless and it’s the only thing that keeps me relaxed before bed.”

“San,” Wooyoung sighed, running a hand down his face, “You’re going to hurt yourself. You know you’re not supposed to practice more than twice a day; you could get hurt again and then what? You wouldn’t be able to compete and you’d be heartbroken, so please… take it easy.”

“Believe me, I get this lecture enough from my trainer.” San’s voice was tight, as though he were clenching his jaw. “But I love it so much. I love it more than anyone and everything, I just can’t stay away. It’s honestly all I have.”

Wooyoung bit his lip. “You know that’s not true.”

San met Wooyoung’s eyes, then bowed his head. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to sound like a jerk or a child. It’s just my passion, my calling and I want to perfect it.”

Wooyoung waved his hand. “I know what you mean. That’s how I feel whenever I’m writing. The possibilities are endless and I long to express how I feel on the page, for people to pass down to their children as time goes on. I’m always writing something; I can’t imagine not doing it.”

“Finally, someone who understands me.” San winked, moving to sit at the edge of the bed near Wooyoung’s feet.

“I’ve always done my best to understand you. Though, you’re not as complex as you think. You’re just an ice-skating fool.” Wooyoung stuck his tongue out.

San gasped, hand on his chest. “How could you say something like that to me? Coming from the writing junkie himself!”

Wooyoung playfully pushed his best friend’s arm. “Please, I’m not as bad as you.”

“I always catch you writing in your notebooks and in your laptop. Even on your phone and napkins lying around.” San grinned, ruffling Wooyoung’s hair.

Wooyoung felt his heart pound in his chest. Had San read any of his poems? He thought of all of his works that he’s written mindlessly on different surfaces and wanted to kick himself.

San continued. “Your work is so beautiful, whether it’s a poem, a description of a landscape, or a haiku. Your words are so beautiful, Wooyoung. I can’t help but wonder who you’re thinking about when you write such heart-wrenching things.”

The playfulness in San’s voice was gone, leaving nothing but warmth. Wooyoung could feel heart rise from his cheeks to his ears, flattered and very much in love.

“Just you wait, I’m going to become the best writer in Seoul and then I’m going to write your auto-biography when you win Olympic gold, starting from when you were sucking on your toes as a baby.” Wooyoung teased brightly, telling himself that he was okay like this.

“You wouldn’t dare!” San whined loudly, tickling Wooyoung’s sides until they were breathless.

They sat in the bed, staring at the ceiling. Wooyoung’s heat was pounding so hard, he wondered if San could hear it.

“Wooyoung?” San called gently.

“Yeah, San?” Wooyoung asked.

“Let’s be the best we can be, nothing less and nothing more. Nothing will ever tear us apart, not people or our passions, no matter what.”

“Someone is feeling very pumped tonight.” Wooyoung commented, wishing with all his heart that San would say these words with a different meaning, with the feelings Wooyoung kept buried. “But I don’t mind agreeing to that.”

San curled into Wooyoung, pulling the writer into his arms. “Thank you for being with me, Wooyoung. You’re the best person I could ever ask for to be my best friend.”

“Same here, San.” Wooyoung said quietly.

“Mind if I spend the night here with you? I’ll make you breakfast and proofread your papers.” San whispered.

“Sounds good to me, as long as you don’t hog the bed.” Wooyoung whispered back, closing his eyes as a poem began to form in his mind.

_Lost in your embrace  
A love burns in my chest  
That can never be erased.  
I adore this type of burning best._

He would have to add it to his archives when the morning came. For now, he would rest in the beautiful galactic universe of ice skating and beauty, that was his best friend Choi San.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any thoughts/requests on what you'd like to see from this fic?  
> I swear, they're actually super soft and Wooyoung won't be this angsty forever-


	3. Friendsgiving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Friendsgiving for the holidays and exchanged gifts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's an update for the Thanksgiving season~  
> I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy!  
> please enjoy the update!

Wooyoung watched San skate around the rink, repeating the same routine over and over with impressive diligence and speed.

“Again!” His coach called as she blew her whistle. San didn’t even hesitate to get back into his starting position after taking a swig of water, itching to go once more.

Wooyoung was recording the routine on his phone. He usually recorded San whenever he was goofing around, that way people don’t try to steal his routine if the video ends up online.

He had more videos of San skating than anything else in his phone and he never minded it. San would usually ask for daily footage of his practices so he could study his technique and improve from there. Wooyoung would remind himself to delete the videos but would get sad at the thought of deleting even one video.

Once the routine finished, San skated over to Wooyoung and smiled, his face flushed and sweaty. “How did I do?” He asked, breathless.

“Perfect as always. Just make sure to widen your arms a little more during your landings, that way you don’t look so shaky.” Wooyoung commented, showing San the video.

“Where would I be without you, Wooyoung?” San cooed, looking at the video with a smile.

“Lost and probably covered in bruises from the amount of training you do.” Wooyoung rummaged through his bag, putting some of his notebooks away.

“I still think you should train to be a coach. You give some amazing advice.” San gushed, looking at this best friend happily.

“I only give advice to you, no one else. I can’t imagine training a whole team, I’d be bald before I turn thirty.” Wooyoung shivered at the thought.

“You’re amazing at everything you do and you’re good at giving out instruction. If anything, you can own a big publishing company and boss people around.” San offered with a laugh.

“Ooh, now that sounds nice.” Wooyoung grinned. He watched his friend for a bit, then bit his lip. “Hey, San?”

“Yeah, Woo?” San asked, looking at his friend.

Wooyoung reached into his bag and handed it to San. “I thought you could use these for practice.”

San looked at the clothing in his hand and tilted his head. “Gloves?”

“It’s been getting cold out and I noticed you haven’t been putting on proper winter clothes,” Wooyoung explained. “I thought they would be good for you to have, just in case.”

He watched San put on the gloves, the material thin but designed for sports so they would keep his hands warm. He flexed his fingers, then looked at Wooyoung with a brilliant smile.

“I love them. Thank you so much. I’ll use them every day.” San bowed his head with a grin, pulling his friend into a hug.

Wooyoung couldn’t hold back his blush of surprise as he hugged San back. “H-Hey, they’re just gloves. Don’t sweat it.”

“But they’re from you, so they’re special to me. It’s like you read my mind, I’ve been needing new gloves.” San wiggled his fingers in the material and bounced happily in place.

 _He is too cute for his own good_ , Wooyoung thought. “By the way, don’t forget we’re celebrating Friendsgiving tonight. Yunho, Yeosang, Yeonjun and Taehyun will be there, so don’t be late.”

“I didn’t forget,” San reassured. “I’m bringing some food to the celebration and gifts for everyone. I won’t be late, I promise.”

“Good, I’ll see you tonight then.” Wooyoung said, grabbing his bag and waving.

San smiled brightly and waved back; his new gloves perfect on his hands. “See you tonight, Wooyoung!”

Wooyoung ran out of the practice hall before he could turn any redder. _That kid will be the death of me._

He quickly went through his phone and ran back towards his apartment to get things ready for tonight.

Wooyoung was fortunate enough to have an apartment he was able to pay for by himself. It was tiny and cramped but it was home. He had enough space for his bed, desk, a tiny kitchen and cramped living room and he was happy with that.

Sometimes if his friends needed a place to stay, he would charge them a small fee depending on how long they were staying, which helped pay some of his bills and pay for groceries. Sometimes his mother would send him money as well, but he usually got by with his job in between classes and tutoring he did on the side.

Since they were in high school, San and Wooyoung would alternate between each other’s house for Thanksgiving, but due to circumstances at home once they graduated, they decided to hold it at each other’s apartments. This year, it was Wooyoung’s turn to have it at his place.

San and his friend Yunho roomed together, while Wooyoung’s best friend Yeosang lived with his boyfriend and mutual friend Yeonjun. Sometimes they would room with Wooyoung if he felt like having company, while Taehyun stayed with some of his friends on campus.

Wooyoung showered when he got home and quickly began to clean up his tiny place. He made sure there was enough soda and juice in the fridge (all of them were of age except Taehyun: Wooyoung refused to be a bad influence), made sure there was enough room in the living room for everyone to sit and set up some holiday lights so things looked more festive.

He sometimes hated to admit it, but Wooyoung loved the holidays. It helped him focus on his friends and the present, instead of focusing on his struggle towards the life he truly wanted. It gave him a break and a sense of calm.

Once everything was set up, he waited for his friends to arrive. Everyone was supposed to meet around 7pm, but he knew some people would arrive late and others early. He had a feeling who would show up first…

As though on cue, there was a knock on his door. He quickly ran to open the door and smiled when he saw who it was. “Hey, Yeosang. Had a feeling you’d be here first.”

His best friend smiled, his large eyes crinkling as he pushed his blonde hair out of his eyes. “Of course. I’d rather be the first person to arrive than be the last person to show up.”

Wooyoung led his friend to the living room and plopped onto the couch with a grin. “Want to make a bet on who’ll up next?”

Yeosang nodded with a hum. “I have a feeling it’ll be Taehyun. If not him, then Yeonjun. Yeonjun told me he’d be here as soon as he finished dance rehearsal, but I’m not sure if he’s running late tonight.”

“Is he bringing food?” Wooyoung asked.

Yeosang held up a bag of what looked like takeout chicken. “He’d better, he promised he would pick something up if I did as well. If not, he’s in a ton of trouble when I see him.”

“We’ll see what happens.” Wooyoung poured some water in a cup for his friend, then reached for his phone to turn on some music on Spotify.

“Hopefully Yunho will show up when San does,” Yeosang said, looking at Wooyoung. “You said he’s been practicing a lot more than usual, right?”

Wooyoung nodded. “Yeah. Regionals are coming up so I know he’s really stressed trying to make his routine perfect. He’s been practicing nonstop, even going to skate before going to bed, then going back to practice before he goes to classes during the day. It’s driving me nuts.”

Yeosang chuckled. “Sounds like it’s been harder to stay mad at him though. I know how much you mean to him and how crazy your own workload is, so I can only imagine how stressed out the two of you must be.”

Yeosang was the only person Wooyoung told about his feelings for San. Yeosang never judged and had always been a supportive friend, so he was happy he had someone to confide in.

“We’re working it out, well, I’ve been sorting out my feelings as best as I can without him noticing. The last thing I want to do is distract him.” Wooyoung admitted, rubbing his neck.

“Woo, maybe the best way to ‘sort out your feelings’ is by _telling_ San how you feel. You’ve had this crush for how many years?”

“Started in freshman year of high school and still going. Five years.” Wooyoung whined.

“And you _counted_? Dude, you’ve got it bad.” Yeosang patted his friend’s shoulder with a sad sigh. “Just tell San how you feel already. He may be dense, but he’s the most understanding guy in the whole country. It won’t change anything.”

“It’ll change everything, Yeosang,” Wooyoung shook his head. “It worked out for you and Yeonjun because the two of you are made for one another, although all you two ever really do is makeout and fight-“

“And it worked out for us.” Yeosang said proudly, flipping his hair out of his eyes. “Trust me, San is a good guy and, despite what you put in your head, the two of you are made for one another. You balance each other out and honestly, the two of you are so damn cute the whole college campus is already convinced the two of you are dating.”

“ _That’s_ why I haven’t been getting asked out lately.” Wooyoung pouted.

“Please, like you’d say yes to anyone besides San.” Yeosang snorted.

“True,” Wooyoung closed his eyes and sighed. “I’ll think it over and talk about it with him when the time is right. I want him to focus on his upcoming tournament. I’ve waited this long; I can wait until he brings home gold.”

Yeosang looked at his friend and smiled. “Sounds like a plan to me. I support you all the way. Try not to burnout while you wait, though.”

They chatted for awhile until the doorbell rang once more. Yeonjun came in with Taehyun in tow, their arms full carrying a fruit tray, a large salad, mashed potatoes and ramen for everyone. The atmosphere instantly got brighter when they came in, Wooyoung smiling as they chatted and poured drinks for one another.

A little while later, Yunho came in and had kimbap and extra rice in his arms. Wooyoung couldn’t help but pout when he noticed San wasn’t with him.

“Don’t worry, he said he’s on his way. He just had to stop home and grab something.” Yunho reassured, plopping onto the floor and setting up the food.

Wooyoung set up the paper plates and started to pile up the food, tossing jokes and stories around as everyone got cozy.

It felt like forever when there was a final knock on the door. Wooyoung went to get up, only for San to come rushing in, his face flushed and out of breath.

“I keep forgetting you have a key.” Wooyoung said, trying to sound nonchalant despite his heart nearly bursting out of his chest when he saw his crush appear before his eyes.

San nodded to the others and caught his breath. “S-Sorry I’m so late! I got out of practice late and I had to pick something up before I came here. I brought dessert as well." He set a large chocolate cake onto the table, along with some candles.

“We really have a feast going on, don’t we?” Yeonjun asked from his spot on the couch, Yeosang curled against his chest.

“I really wanted to celebrate our friendship with one another and that we’re here for each other no matter how hard times get.” San said, his expression warm.

“Spoken so purely and with so much pride! We expect nothing less than the Nation’s next Top Skater, Choi San!” Yunho cheered, starting an applause that everyone instantly took part in.

Wooyoung grabbed San’s hand and gently pulled him to the table. “Let’s celebrate, now that you’re here.” He said with a smile.

The party was filled with laughter, jokes, delicious food and even karaoke (thanks to Yeonjun). It was honestly the best Friendsgiving they’d ever celebrated, especially now that so many people attended the tradition this year.

Once the food and the cake were gone, everyone began to leave one by one. Wooyoung cleaned everything up and promised to talk to everyone the following day as they left. The last person to leave was San.

“You okay, San? Do you need a ride home?” Wooyoung asked, tilting his head.

San shook his head, looking oddly nervous. “I-I’m alright. Yunho is going to take me, he’s warming up his car right now.”

“Alright.” Wooyoung smiled, going back to cleaning up the living room and tossing the cans of soda into the recycle bin for the morning.

“Hey, Wooyoung?” San called.

“Yeah, San?” Wooyoung asked, turning to face his friend.

San was looking at him, with his arms outstretched. In his hands was a wrapped box, topped with a purple bow. “For you.”

“For me?” Wooyoung asked, gently removing the bow and opening the box in confusion and gratitude. “We do the party every year, no need for gifts.”

“Well, it wasn’t for the party…” San said, rubbing his neck as he looked at the rug.

Once the box was opened, Wooyoung held up the gift to get a better look.

It was a black and white scarf made of thick yarn. Just looking at it made Wooyoung feel warm.

“I wanted to say thank you for the gloves. I spotted this scarf on my way home from practice and I thought of you. So, I decided to get it for you.” San said, looking at Wooyoung with a nervous smile. “What do you think?”

Wooyoung caressed the material and smiled brightly. “I love it! Thank you so much! I was hoping to get a new scarf before it started snowing. Thank you so much, San.” He quickly put it on and wrapped it around his neck with a happy smile.

San chuckled and patted Wooyoung’s head. “It looks great on you.”

“I’ll wear it every day.” Wooyoung promised, snuggling further into the scarf happily.

San nodded slowly, then slowly leaned in. His face was mere inches from Wooyoung’s his expression unreadable as he looked at his friend.

Wooyoung fell still, lost in his best friend’s gaze. “What is it?” He whispered, almost afraid to breathe.

San opened his mouth to say something, but at the last second, shook his head and pulled away. “Nothing. I just wanted to say you looked beautiful tonight. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He turned away to leave, but not before Wooyoung could grab his arm.

His heart was pounding in his chest, he could barely speak, but he forced himself to get the words out anyway. “San- after your regional tournament, t-there’s something important I need to tell you. Will you listen to me when that time comes?”

San seemed to tense, but he slowly turned his head to look at Wooyoung and there was a warm smile on his face. “Of course, Wooyoung. I’ll wait patiently and work hard until then.”

Wooyoung let out a sigh of relief and walked San to the door. “Thanks for coming over, San. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“See you tomorrow, Wooyoung. Thanks for having us over. I had a great time.” San bowed his head and put on the gloves that Wooyoung got him before leaving the apartment building.

Wooyoung closed the door and leaned against it, hiding his red face in his scarf. _What was that about?_

He had a new poem he wanted to write, but he’d wait until his heart stopped pounding.

San always made it hard to think and breathe whenever he acted so mysterious. Wooyoung never knew what to expect from his best friend.

He had a great night and celebrated with his closest friends. He felt so blessed.

All that was left was school, regionals and his confession.

He hoped Yeosang was right about this.


	4. Unexpected Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wooyoung and San go to the local holiday festival together.
> 
> TW// scene of a panic attack due to crowds at the end of the chapter. Please read at your own risk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy holidays everyone!  
> I hope everyone is well and staying safe! Here is my last update of this fic until 2021! Thank you all for the support <3

After few days after Friendsgiving, it snowed for the first time during the holiday season. Seoul was covered in a thick layer of snow that refused to leave in the cold, winter air.

Where there’s snow, there’s ice.

San looked like Christmas came early as he barged into Wooyoung’s apartment on a cold Saturday morning, yelling, “Wooyoung! It snowed! Let’s go skating together!”

Even though it was Wooyoung’s only off day between work and his classes (and it was the weekend), he couldn’t say no to San’s smiling face. So, he put on his winter coat, jeans, new scarf and followed San into the city at 9am.

San knew of a skating rink near a huge park in the city (of course he knew), so they decided to spend the day there. Turned out, there was a holiday festival happening that day as well and the streets were filled with vendors, people and the holiday buzz.

Wooyoung wasn’t a fan of crowds, so he stayed close to his crush as they weaved through people. “Should we do some shopping while we’re here?” He asked.

San, with a tender smile on his face, looked at Wooyoung. “We can, if you’d like, but I already got the best present from you.” He held up his gloved hands, wiggling his fingers happily.

Wooyoung forced the blush down and rolled his eyes, playing with his new scarf. “W-Well, I have to get presents for Yeonjun, Yunho and Taehyun, so it doesn’t hurt to look.”

San’s eyes followed Wooyoung’s fingers. “You’re not getting anything for Yeosang?”

“I picked his gift out a month ago. He has a thing for baggy sweatshirts, so I decided to get him an Off-White sweatshirt from a few seasons ago. Spoiled bitch.” Wooyoung explained and laughed, thinking of his best friend with a smile.

“I know he’ll love it.” San smiled, his breath coming out in puffs in the cool air. “Want to get some hot chocolate while we walk around?”

“Sounds good, I’ll pay.” Wooyoung said as they approached the small coffee stand.

San suddenly pouted, shaking his head. “Let me pay, Woo.”

“You just bought this scarf for me, San. Plus, I just got paid, let me pay for it. It’s no big deal.” Wooyoung insisted, poking San’s puffed cheeks.

San let out a defeated sigh, raising his hands in surrender. “Fine, I’ll let you win, for now. But I’m paying next time, okay?”

“Whatever makes you happy.” Wooyoung smiled proudly having won, approaching the counter to make the order as he calmed his racing heart.

Once the order was placed, Wooyoung stood next to San, his crush talking happily about his training from the day before. Wooyoung didn’t attend the training due to his school and work responsibilities but could imagine the training session as San described it.

“Coach says I need to rest a bit more before regionals in January.” San was explaining, his eyes on the sky. He looked ethereal in the snowy daylight. “It sucks having to rest, but my legs jumps have been shakier than usual. I guess I’ve been pushing myself too hard.”

“I’ve been telling you that for _months_ , but you don’t listen to me.” Wooyoung huffed, looking at his email on his phone.

“You know I always listen to you. I’m just stubborn.” San chuckled.

Wooyoung looked up from his phone to look at his friend. “You can’t be stubborn when it comes to your body. I know you want to be the best you can be and push your limits, but you can’t skate if you don’t have the strength to do so. Take this time and the holiday break to rest. You’ll need it for regionals.”

San let out a sigh, his expression weary and fatigued as he closed his eyes. “Yeah, I’ll do that.”

“Promise?” Wooyoung urged, nudging his friend in the side.

With a hint of a smile, San met Wooyoung’s eyes and nodded. “I promise.”

“Good.” Wooyoung smiled.

“After we skate together.” San grinned, tugging Wooyoung’s arm towards the skating rink.

“San! Wait, the drinks!” Wooyoung cried.

Once the drinks were safely recovered, they made their way to the skating rink. It was filled with adults, couples and little kids, some at least intermediate while the rest were clearly beginners with the amount of wipeouts that occurred.

Wooyoung rented out some skates for them both to wear (which was another pout fest) and followed San onto the ice. Despite watching San skate hundreds of times, Wooyoung himself was a _terrible_ skater, barely able to stand up straight as he stepped int the rink.

“C’mon, you can do it.” San urged, pulling Wooyoung’s hands gently to get the shorter male moving from the wall. “Just watch my movements.”

“I watch you skate almost every day, that doesn’t make me a master overnight.” Wooyoung whined, blushing intensely at the stares they were getting. He hated being the center of attention, especially when he was doing something he sucked at.

Chuckling, San pulled Wooyoung a little closer and away from the wall, gliding them easily on the ice like it was second nature. “Just keep your eyes ahead of you, not on your feet, and trust me. I won’t let you fall.” He promised.

Taking a deep breath, Wooyoung nodded. “Alright.” Putting all his faith into his crush, he allowed San to teach him the basics of moving on the ice, keeping balance and most importantly, relaxing.

Soon enough, Wooyoung wasn’t a leaf blowing on a windy day; he was confident in the basics and skated easily next to San, though he held onto his friend’s arm the whole time in case he fell. San didn’t mind in the least.

As they went around the rink a few times, Wooyoung looked at San, whose expression was serene. “Hey, San?”

“Yeah?” San hummed, looking at Wooyoung, his cheeks red in the cold air.

“What do you think about when you skate?” Wooyoung questioned. He had always wanted to ask, but always forgot to.

He pondered endlessly what San must be thinking about when he would skate. Was he thinking of his choreography? Perhaps his mind was running on instinct and all he had to worry about was where he was going? Maybe, he thought of nothing at all.

San blinked a few times, his eyes moving from Wooyoung to the ice below their feet. “I… don’t really know. I’m mostly focused on my breathing and my body. I focus how much weight and power I’m using as I increase speed and spin, on testing my stamina to make sure I land every jump. I’m mostly focused on giving the best routine that I can. I don’t think of anything else.”

For some reason, Wooyoung felt disappointed with that answer. “You don’t just clear your mind and have fun?”

There was a moment of silence.

San slowly lifted his gaze to look at his friend. “When I have a goal like the Olympics in mind, I don’t have time for fun. I have to be the best or I won’t make the cut.”

Wooyoung had a feeling San had been told that same phrase countless times, especially with the sudden dead look in his eyes.

“I see,” he said, trying to think of what to say to cut the sudden tension. “You’re an amazing skater and you’re improving every day. I’m so proud to be able to see you grow better with every practice.”

San’s eyes were back on the ice, but there was a hint of a smirk on his face. “I’ll get better, you’ll see. I want you to always be proud of me, so I have to keep working hard.”

Wooyoung looked at San with a blink of surprise. San wanted his approval? “Why me, though? I’m not the only one who believes in you. Yunho, Yeosang and the others believe in you too. Plus, you should be working to make yourself proud, not just me.”

San slowed to a stop, stopping Wooyoung in the process. “I need you by my side, Wooyoung. You give me the strength to work harder in this sport. I don’t think I’d be where I am without you.”

“San…” Wooyoung sighed, patting his friend’s chest. “Please, stop being so hard on yourself. It breaks my heart to see you look so upset.”

San blinked, then raised his hand and placed it on Wooyoung’s scarf. “I’ll try not to make you worry about me. Just stay by my side, like you always have.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Wooyoung reassured, trying to remember how to breathe under San’s stare. “I still have to write your autobiography, remember? I might write a memoir too, no charge if you give me a smile.”

San finally exposed a smile, leaning in to place a soft kiss on the scarf a few centimeters from Wooyoung’s neck. “I look forward to it.”

Before Wooyoung could explode in a blush, a scream or a mixture of both, San let him go and dashed full speed along the ice. Then, he jumped in the air and did two perfect turns, landing easily on his feet with perfect posture and grace.

Cheers from onlookers erupted around the rink as San twirled some more on the ice. Wooyoung could only watch in awe, feeling like he fell in love with his best friend all over again.

He saw the looks of adoration from random people as San skated and felt a throb of pain in his heart. He knew that he would never be anything more than that to San: a friend, a supporter and nothing more.

He had to keep his feelings locked in his heart. He refused to be the one to come in between San and his dreams of the Olympics, he refused to be that selfish.

Shaking his head of the annoying thoughts, Wooyoung attempted to leave the rink, but couldn’t find his center of gravity without San as his anchor.

His body curved and struggled to stay up, until he was falling backwards, waiting for the wipeout-

But it never came.

“You all right?”

Wooyoung opened his eyes, realizing that he wasn’t dead and was actually alive, then met eyes with a _beautiful_ man.

He had tanned skin, the largest eyes Wooyoung had ever seen on a human being and chocolate brown locks tied up in a half ponytail on his head. He was wearing a black long sleeve and _holy shit his lips looked so kissable._

“Hey, are you okay?” The man asked, his low voice soothing but laced with worry as his eyebrows furrowed/ “You’re not hurt are you?”

Wooyoung blushed and shook his head. “I-I’m not hurt!” He struggled to get up, his feet sliding uselessly as he tried to stand. “I-I didn’t mean to cause you any trouble.”

The man offered Wooyoung his hand, his lips curving into a smile. “It was no trouble at all. I wasn’t going to stand by and let you fall like that.”

Biting his lip, Wooyoung took the stranger’s hand and allowed him to bring Wooyoung to his feet and back to the entrance of the rink. Once he was balanced, he bowed his head. “Thank you, for helping me. I’m not a good skater at all.”

“No worries. I’m just glad you’re okay.” The man smiled, his expression relaxed. “Let me know if you need lessons, I wouldn’t mind teaching someone as cute as you.”

Wooyoung blinked.

Was this guy, this attractive man, _flirting_ with him?

Wooyoung couldn’t remember the last time anyone had flirted with him, let alone someone this gorgeous. He quickly came up with a response, his tone light. “I’ll think about it. If you’re offering to teach, that must mean you’re pretty good at skating.”

The man smiled a bit wider, offering a small shrug. His body proportions were lovely; toned and strong. “I’d like to believe I’m good. I’m on a team at my college and I’ve been training since I was a kid. I guess I know a few things about the ice.”

The response made Wooyoung tilt his head. “You’re on a college team? Does that mean you’re going to be competing at Regionals in a few months?”

“I am. Me and my childhood friend will be competing together to represent our school. We’re excited to see the competition.” The man looked Wooyoung in the eye and smiled. “Maybe I’ll see you there?”

Wooyoung felt blood rush to his neck and face, but managed to play it off with a roll of his eyes and a smirk. “Maybe, maybe not. You’ll have to wait and see.”

The man smiled wider and licked his lips. “I’m Seonghwa, by the way. A junior year sports medicine major.”

The name was familiar, but Wooyoung couldn’t place it. He ran a hand along his scarf and offered a wave with his free hand. “I’m Wooyoung, a sophomore creative writing major.”

Seonghwa nodded and winked, backing away slowly on the ice. “I’ll see you around, Wooyoung. Next time we meet, I’ll give you those skating lessons.”

Wooyoung watched as Seonghwa skated effortlessly around the rink, meeting up with a woman halfway, who was dressed in casual winterwear like him.

He watched as they suddenly began to skate in sync, their movements like water as they flowed and copied each other’s movements like shadows. All eyes were on the duo, everyone holding their breath.

Wooyoung gasped as Seonghwa picked the girl up on his shoulders and continued to skate, her body secure and elegant in his hold as she archer her body like a ballerina.

Suddenly, he threw her in the air, the crowd gasping as she twisted and spun in the cold air…

…then landed perfectly in his arms.

As the crowd cheered and screamed in response, Seonghwa looked right at Wooyoung and winked before bowing to the newly formed audience.

Wooyoung was breathless. He hadn’t seen someone skate that well since he first started watching San skate.

_San._

Wooyoung hadn’t seen the male since their conversation a little while before. He knew San saw Seonghwa skate.

All he could think of was San’s dead expression, the hurt in his eyes and he began to run.

He pushed through the crowd in search of the male, calling his name desperately. He needed to get to San, he _needed_ to-

Suddenly, Wooyoung was trapped in a crowd of people, unable to move or break free. He felt his chest start to tighten and his vision swirl, trying desperately to break free of the sensation as his legs grew heavier with every moment that passed.

Wooyoung was never good with crowds. He needed to have someone with him for times like these.

Everything was too _close_ , too _much_ \- He couldn’t get any words out as he fought to breathe and stay conscious, the world and all of the sounds in it starting to fade…

As his body was finally ready to give out, he felt a familiar pair of arms wrap around his body and a familiar scent fill his nose.

“Let’s go home, Wooyoung,” The person whispered in his ear, grounding him to reality. “I’ve got you. Let’s go home.”

Everything slowly shifted back into focus as Wooyoung was carried home. Coming in and out of consciousness, the first face he saw before passing out was none other than San.

“San...” he whispered into the male’s neck as the cool air lulled his shaken mind to a numb throb. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m here for you, always. I promise.”

He didn’t see San’s face, but saw the male’s expression in his mind as he spoke. “Thank you, Wooyoung.”

With those words, Wooyoung closed his eyes and focused on San’s heartbeat the whole way home.

-

_From Wooyoung's Journal_

_He is like the ice;_

_Cold, stoic and strong_

_But below the surface,_

_Is a pure heart of gold_

_That wishes to belong._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading <3  
> Thoughts on rival/love interest Seonghwa? Let me know what you think in the comments below?


	5. Fatigue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> San pushes himself too hard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies!  
> Welcome to the new year and to chapter 5! I honesty have no idea where this story is trying to go, but I'm doing my best to make the story as engaging as possible!  
> We shall be getting more into the skating side soon, please be patient as I work out the bugs~  
> Please enjoy this chapter!

“So this is the guy?” Yeosang asked over his cup of coffee, his eyes on the school newspaper.

Across from him, Wooyoung nodded with a heavy sigh and a shake of his head. “Yup, that's him. Park Seonghwa.”

The man from the skating rink was looking into the camera with a warm smile, his eyes curled in a way that made him look confident and warm. His arm was curled around a woman Wooyoung recognized from that day as well, Soojin was her name, and both held Gold trophies in their hands.

The newspaper caption read: _Seoul’s Top Skaters to Bring the Heat in Upcoming Regional Tournament? Can They Defend Their Titles?_

Under the headline and photo was a picture of San skating, his form beautiful and graceful even through the photograph. His caption made Wooyoung’s blood boil.

_Will the School’s Underdog Come Out On Top?_

“No pressure on San’s part.” Yeosang hummed, closing the newspaper and tossing it onto the table with narrowed eyes. When Wooyoung didn’t respond, Yeosang leaned back in his chair. “Have you seen him?”

“Not since that day.” Wooyoung blushed despite himself. He thought of San taking him home and placing him in bed, not leaving until Wooyoung was asleep. He was as kind and wonderful as always.

Until Wooyoung noticed the sadness in his eyes, the sadness that melted into darkness as he left Wooyoung’s apartment.

“That was on Saturday, right? It’s Wednesday now. Maybe you should check on him.” Yeosang offered, sipping his coffee slowly.

“You think I haven’t tried? Every time I try to stop by his apartment or one of his classes, he’s never there. It’s like he’s avoiding me.” The words hurt Wooyoung’s heart to say.

Yeosang looked a the ceiling. “San is the strongest and most humble guy I know. He’s always so hardworking and can be really stubborn, even though he doesn’t want to admit it. He must know about Seonghwa, so he’s probably training nonstop somewhere.”

“He must see Seonghwa as a threat, if he’s this MIA.” Wooyoung huffed.

“Maybe he’s not taking him as a threat.” Yeosang said.

“What makes you say that?” Wooyoung asked.

“Maybe he sees him as healthy competition. A rival. You’ve seen the stats that duo has. Maybe San just wants to be on their level?” Yeosang shrugged.

Wooyoung had spent the past few days doing as much research on Seonghwa as he could, to find out that the man was definitely no entry-level skater. He had won nearly every competition since middle school and got accepted to every sports college he applied to, before settling for Sungkyunkwan University.

He was no mere threat in the skating world and he was going nowhere but up.

Everyone on campus knew how good San was; how dedicated and kind he was when working with his teammates and the long hours he would put into perfecting his craft. He could do anything he set his mind to.

The two of them as rivals was a thought that made Wooyoung’s mind blur with worry.

Along a strange feeling of _excitement._

Pushing the feeling away, Wooyoung checked his phone. No missed texts or calls; just Wooyoung’s messages that’ve been left on read for the past few days.

“The last thing San needs right now is someone that’ll stress him out. He’s already training nonstop, he’s gonna hurt himself before long. I have to go and find him, no matter what.” Wooyoung slowly got to his feet, stretching his legs before going to his closet to grab his coat.

“Wooyoung.” Yeosang called.

“Yeah?”

“Please, be careful getting involved in this.” Wooyoung walked back into the tiny kitchen, looking at his best friend, the pretty male looking back with a somber expression. “San is a grown man, he can handle himself. I know you care about him deeply but, please, prioritize yourself first.”

Wooyoung felt a smile tug at his lips. He walked over to his best friend and hugged him tight, ignoring the whine that left Yeosang’s throat. “Thanks for worrying about me, Yeosang. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Many things. Many, many, stupid things.” Yeosang smirked, ruffling Wooyoung’s hair.

Wooyoung rolled his eyes in distaste. “Ugh, I can’t stand you. Go ride your boyfriend or something, you hoe.”

“Believe me, I will.” Yeosang’s grin grew wider as he flipped some hair from his face. “Go find your ice skating fool of a crush. He must be lonely without you.”

Wooyoung tried to ignore the flutter in his heart. “I doubt he misses me.” He grabbed his backpack and journal from the dining room couch and waved. “Make sure you lock up after me and don’t eat my leftovers!”

“Will do and no promises.” Yeosang waved, finishing off his cup with a smile.

Wooyoung pulled on his shoes and left the apartment, pocketing his phone. It was early afternoon, meaning San’s classes were already done for the day. So, the best place to find him would be the skating rink. He picked up pace and ran there as fast as he could.

He turned the familiar corner to the rink, when a familiar voice called out to him. “Wooyoung!”

Stopping in his tracks, Wooyoung turned around and felt his eyes widen. “Seonghwa?”

Seonghwa looked fatally gorgeous today, his face full of life in the snowy afternoon. He wore a red sweater and ripped skinny jeans, his cheeks flushed. “Yup! It’s good to see you. Did you have classes today?”

“Finished them a little while ago. What are you doing here? No classes today?” Wooyoung asked, his fingers fidgeting on his bag strap.

Seonghwa shook his head with a smile. “Nah, just spending my free time checking out my competition.”

“Competition?” Wooyoung echoed. He felt a strange pit form in his stomach, his body suddenly on edge.

_San._

“He’s got a lot of potential. I can’t wait to go head-to-head with him at Regionals soon. Even Soojin is excited to go against the team here and she’s rarely impressed. It’s gonna be a great season.” Seonghwa chuckled, a small smirk forming on his lips.

A gentle breeze filtered through campus and Wooyoung felt a shiver go down his spine. For some reason, he felt fear course through his veins as Seonghwa gave him a smile.

“Tell me, Wooyoung. Are you willing to take me up on my offer for skating lessons? I promise you won’t be disappointed.” Seonghwa offered, his hand outstretched.

Wooyoung clenched his fists, a smirk forming on his lips as he walked up to Seonghwa’s face. “I appreciate the offer, but I already have a perfect skating teacher and he’s a better skater than you’ll _ever_ be.”

Seonghwa looked over Wooyoung’s face, then raised one dangerous eyebrow with a slow smirk. “ _Oh_ , I see. So faithful and loyal to the underdog. You’re in love with him, aren’t you?”

The blush that took over Wooyoung’s face nearly gave him whiplash. “That has _nothing_ to do with-”

“No matter,” Seonghwa cut him off, leaning in with a whisper. “Chase after him all you want; he’ll be chasing my shadow before long. Then, you’ll realize who the better man is.” Then, he stepped away.

Wooyoung caught his breath, glaring at Seonghwa before returning away. “Watch where you step, Seonghwa. You’re in our territory and we won’t go down without a fight.”

“I look forward to that fight. I’ll keep an eye out for you in the meantime.” Seonghwa winked, his smile on full blast as he waved. “See you later, Wooyoung. Don’t miss me too much.”

Wooyoung waited until Seonghwa was out of sight before going to the rink. _If Seonghwa had already come by, San must be in a skating tizzy. I have to make sure he’s okay,_ Wooyoung thought as he ran faster.

Pushing the doors open, Wooyoung peered around the rink and was shocked to find it empty. He glanced at his phone. It wasn’t even three yet, so where was everyone?

Glancing at the front of the rink, in the stands, Wooyoung caught a glimpse of someone hunched over. He ran over and gasped, knowing instantly who it was.

“S-San?! San, are you okay?! Wooyoung ran to his best friend’s side, checking his vitals as the skater gasped for air, his face flushed and covered in sweat.

“W-Wooyoung…” San moaned, his eyes barely opened as he held his head in his arms. “I-I’m alright. I was just training too hard and I fell on a really sharp turn-”

“Did you eat today? When was the last time you ate or slept?” Wooyoung urged, angry and scared as panic slipped into his veins.

San looked at him and merely shook his head, struggling to breathe.

“If this stupid fatigue sickness doesn’t kill you, I will.” Clenching his jaw, Wooyoung picked San up and held him upright against his arm. “I’m taking you to the campus nurse.”

“No! Don’t!” San tried to stand on his own, only to sway. He looked into Wooyoung’s eyes, his own red and beginning to water. “I-If you take me there, they’ll have me sit out for the season and regionals. I-I can’t afford to sit out, Wooyoung. Please, I’ll do anything- just don’t take me to the nurse or a hospital.”

Wooyoung huffed, looking into San’s eyes and turning away, not letting go. “…I hate you so much right now. You’re lucky I’m not an asshole.” With those words, he half-carried San to his apartment across campus.

Once they made it to the door, Wooyoung led them inside and took both of their shoes off. He set San on his bed and offered him a bottle of water along with some painkillers.

“I’m gonna grab you a towel. Wash up as best as you can, let me know if you need help. I’m gonna make dinner for you and you’d better eat all of it. Then straight to bed, no distractions or leaving this apartment. Got it?” Wooyoung asked, his eyes narrowed.

San drank the entire bottle of water and downed the painkillers, his eyes tired. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days. “Got it. Thanks, Woo.”

Nodding, Wooyoung slit out of his jacket and walked into the kitchen. He played some music on his phone as he filtered through his cabinets for some food. Thank god Yeonjun and Yeosang had gone shopping with him a few days prior.

He heated up some stew he made the day before on the stove, then prepped the rice cooker to make some fresh rice. Once everything was cooking, he took a deep breath and set his laptop on the table to do some homework, listening as San turned on the shower.

After finishing an assignment, he plated the food and grabbed some utensils. He walked into the bedroom and placed the food on the bedside table. “Dinner’s ready, San. Come eat.” Wooyoung called.

San emerged from the bathroom, the towel hung low on his waist. He looked better at least, his eyes less tired and his cheeks flush with warmth from the shower. He still looked drained though.

“Thank you.” San bowed his head and sat on the bed, taking a small bite of food. Once he swallowed it, he immediately began to shovel the food into his mouth like he hadn’t eaten in days.

Wooyoung watched, picking at his food silently. “So, are you going to talk about it?” He asked.

San paused his eating, feigning innocence with a shrug. “Talk about what?”

“Don’t play stupid with me, San. I’m not in the mood for games, especially having found you nearly passed out in the skating rink!” Wooyoung huffed, feeling his agitation grow.

“Wooyoung.” San sighed. Wooyoung hated that tone.

“First, you ignore all of my calls and messages, then you’re sick from overworking yourself. What the hell, San? I’m not your mother or anything, but you had me worried and scared! Why won’t you talk to me? Why won’t you let me help you?!” Wooyoung felt his voice grow higher and his eyes grow wetter. Just recalling how weak San looked was too much to bear.9

San looked into Wooyoung’s eyes, a soft smile on his face. He extended his hand to wipe a tear from Wooyoung’s cheek, his touch soft. “I’m alright, Wooyoung. Please, believe me. I’ll get better, I’ll even cut back on the nonstop training, I promise.”

Feeling more tears fall, Wooyoung wiped at his face in frustration. “Why are you doing this to yourself? Why won’t you tell me what’s going on? San, I-I know you’re scared. You have so much to gain and even more to lose. Let me in, please. I’m _begging_ you. San-“

His words were cut off as San pulled him into his arms.

“Wooyoung,” San whispered, holding Wooyoung so tight it almost hurt. “We’ve been friends since high school and we know everything about one another.”

Wooyoung tried to pull away, unwilling to give up so easily. “Yeah, stuff from back them. I’m starting to believe that you’re hiding things from me because of your training and I don’t understand _why_.”

“You know I’m here on scholarship. You know that I… come from nothing. Everyone I know is counting on me to win and I can’t afford to lose. I could lose my scholarship, I could lose everything. I could lose…”

Wooyoung looked into San’s eyes, pleading for answers.

San met Wooyoung’s gaze and leaned in, caressing Wooyoung’s face. “I could lose _you_ , and I’d rather die than do that.”

Wooyoung thought of all the times he and San shared together in high school. He remembered all of the times San had defended him from bullies, the times Wooyoung would sneak out of class to skip school with San and all of the trouble they got into together. They even graduated together and chose the same college so they wouldn’t be apart.

San was Wooyoung’s best friend and he never wanted to lose him. He could ignore his feelings, even though it ate him up inside to do so, he would do it to keep their bond intact.

The way San trusted him, Wooyoung had to do the same.

“I know that Seonghwa came by.” Wooyoung said.

San’s breathing changed, coming out a bit strained. “You saw him on your way in?”

“Yeah. Please, be careful around him. I don’t want you stressing yourself out trying to come up with a routine to kick his ass. Just do your best and please, for the love of all things holy, take _care_ of yourself. I refuse to have a repeat of today.” Wooyoung huffed, flicking San in the forehead.

San chuckled, leaning in to nuzzle his nose against Wooyoung’s. “I can do that. I gave you my word and I’m going to stick to it. I don’t want you hating me or never talking to me again.”

“Then make sure you answer my calls and messages too, or else I’ll put you in an early grave.” Wooyoung warned, pinching San’s cheek.

Laughing louder, a big smile filled San’s face as he nodded. “Alright, alright! You win!” He rubbed his nose. “I’m sorry for not answering your messages. I just… needed some time to think. I’m alright now, I promise. I won’t do anything rash.”

Wooyoung raised a brow.

“I promise, Woo. We can even do our secret handshake as my vow.” San offered, extending his hand.

Wooyoung smiled. They hadn’t done a pact in years, since high school. Just the name brought back memories. “Sounds good to me.”

They extended their palms against one another’s, then locked their fingers together. Once in that position, they both leaned in until their foreheads were touching, eyes closed.

“I promise that you can trust me and I promise to trust and confide in you, while making sure I don’t overwork myself. If I break this pact, I shall be punished into an early grave by my best friend, Wooyoung.” San said, a smile in his voice.

Wooyoung bit back a smile. “I promise to trust in you and do my best to support you through these tough times. If I break this pact…then I don’t deserve to be your friend. I promise to keep our friendship together, no matter what.”

Wooyoung was happy that they’re eyes were closed, so San wouldn’t see the tear that escaped his eye.

“You’d think we were married with a pact like this.” San joked, standing up to put on clothes once their hands were separated.

Wooyoung forced a smile. “We’ve always been dramatic together.” He shed his clothes and slipped into a tshirt and sweatpants. “Let’s get ready for bed now. No staying up.”

“You’re brutal.” San laughed, crawling back into bed and pulling Wooyoung to his chest. He smelled like Wooyoung’s body wash, soothing and safe.

“I have to be, or else you’ll pull stupid shit like you did today.” Wooyoung huffed, curling into San’s neck.

“I’m thankful to have you, Wooyoung.” San whispered, rubbing the smaller male’s arms gently.

“Go to sleep, you ice nerd.” Wooyoung huffed, ignoring the warmth in his cheeks.

“I will. Thanks for taking care of me, Wooyoung.” San said, slowly drifting off. Within moments, his breathing steadied and he was snoring peacefully.

Wooyoung looked at his best friend and crush with a sigh. He caressed his cheekbones, tracing the smooth skin down to his jaw. “What am I going to do with you?” He whispered.

He thought of Seonghwa and the Regionals that were less than two months away. He thought of his own schoolwork, his friends and San, unsure of what to put his heart into fully anymore.

But his heart knew the answer. It always did.

Leaning in, Wooyoung placed the smallest of kisses on San’s forehead, unable to conjure the will to kiss the male’s lips. Just being in his arms was more than enough.

For his heart always chose San.

-

From Wooyoung’s diary:

_He had nothing but dedication_

_Stubborn, yet wise and kind_

_I was in love with the man that danced on ice_

_I must’ve been out of my mind._

_Yet I stayed by his side_

_And watched him perfect his trade_

_Knowing full well, at the end_

_My feelings would gently fade._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you tell I never write drama? I did my best though!  
> Q: Which ship is your favorite in the story so far?


	6. Joint Practice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies!  
> This is the second update of this fic within one month and I'm so proud of myself! I've been taking the time to research more into figure skating to make this fic more real, so I apologize in advance for how slow the updates will be from now on.  
> Thank you all for the ongoing support, it's really helping me through a lot of things going on in my personal life. I hope you continue to stay beside me as we continue on this journey.
> 
> We are introducing (g)-idle and the rest of TXT as cast members, including another ATEEZ member!  
> Please, enjoy!

Wooyoung let out a sigh as he wiped down a table, picking up the empty cups and discarded napkins and bringing them to the back to clean. He was working until nine tonight and the customers were coming in nonstop, even for a Saturday.

He tried not to think about the paper that was due at midnight and tried even harder not to think about his ten am class the following morning. Why did he even consider having class on a _Sunday_? It was mutiny and a personal regret.

Wooyoung only worked this coffee shop job every other weekday for evening shifts. His tutoring job always paid more, but this one gave him the chance to get outside so he wouldn’t rot away inside of his apartment. Plus, he got to network with customers once in awhile and the job was good for his resume.

Glancing at the clock, he smiled to himself. Only a few hours left of his shift, then he could go home, take a shower and eat dinner before doing homework. Maybe text Yeosang for a bit, or maybe call San and check on him.

San had been taking much better care of himself since the sick spell earlier in the week. So far, he’s kept up with his promise not to overwork himself and taking it as easy as he could between classes and his regular training. A part of Wooyoung still worried though, like he always did.

Wooyoung’s thoughts were interrupted as the bell chimed, signaling a customer. Going back to the register, he called out a greeting. “Welcome! Please, sit wherever you’d like.”

“Thank you!” A small hoard of college students walked in, led by a woman Wooyoung recognized from somewhere. She had long black hair and large eyes, her lips pursed in a pout as she took a seat at a booth with her friends.

Trying to place where he knew the girl from, he approached the table with an order pad. “What can I get for you?” He asked the group, putting on his professional smile.

A girl with long brown hair and a pretty face smiled at Wooyoung. “Can I have a caesar salad and a strawberry smoothie please?”

“Miyeon, you have to eat more than that.” A handsome male with floppy brown locks and a lanky physique said from beside her. “I know you’re dieting, but you have to take care of yourself.”

Miyeon rolled her eyes. “Look, Huening Kai, I know you’re worried for me but I have no choice but to eat like this. Regionals are so close, I can’t afford to gain weight and get chewed out by Coach Han.”

“At least eat some bread with your princess food.” Another male said from across the booth, his large brown eyes shifting to Wooyoung. “A round of water, blueberry scones, two Americanos and three green teas for the ladies.”

Wooyoung quickly scribbled the order down, watching as Miyeon pouted at the man who ordered. “Beomgyu! We can order for ourselves!”

“You’re lucky Minnie isn’t here, Beom. She would’ve kicked your ass for trying to be in charge.” The familiar woman said, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

Beomgyu chuckled, revealing white teeth as his eyes crinkled. “Minnie doesn’t scare me. You’re the only woman that scares me, Soojin.”

“Soojin? You’re Seo Soojin?” Wooyoung echoed, staring at the woman as she attempted to reach over the table to grab Beomgyu by the shirt, who froze hearing her name.

“Do I know you?” She asked, raising a dangerous and perfectly shaped brow.

Wooyoung cleared his throat, trying not to sound creepy or come off weird. “You’re Seonghwa’s skating partner. I remember seeing you in the school paper about your achievements. I knew you looked familiar.”

She leaned back in her seat, glancing at her sharp red nails before glancing back at Wooyoung. “Yeah, that’s right. What’s it to you? You’re not some kind of fanboy, are you? I won’t get his autograph for you, no matter how much you beg.”

“Believe me, I don’t want his autograph. I’ve already met him twice.” _Two times too many_ , Wooyoung thought to himself.

Soojin looked over his face, then a smile formed on her lips as she suddenly laughed. “I know who you are now. You’re that Wooyoung kid, the one attached to Choi San. Seonghwa talks quite highly of you. I’ll have to let him know you work here, he’s been looking for you.”

Wooyoung didn’t know what comment to react to first. However, before he could get a word out, one of the other boys spoke.

“You know Choi San?” The first guy, Huening Kai, asked with boyishly-wide eyes. “I’m a huge fan of his skating! I’d love to meet him in person and watch him skate up close.”

Beomgyu rolled his eyes. “We’re going to see him at Regionals, dummy. You’ll see him then, though I doubt he’s worth all of the hype.”

Wooyoung clenched his jaw, glaring at the male. “Watch it. You don’t know him. He’s amazing and he won’t be anything less than first place at Regionals.”

Miyeon giggled, watching Beomgyu tense with a smile. Her eyes fluttered to Wooyoung’s, dangerous. “Pretty tough words for someone who can’t even skate. You think he can beat all of us? We’re not spring rookies.”

Wooyoung forced his anger down and looked at his order pad. “I can’t speak for him, but his team is amazing. You guys won’t know what hit you, just you wait.”

Everyone at the table tensed, but relaxed as Soojin calmy raised her hand. She looked at Wooyoung sweetly and nodded. “Sounds good. Please, get started on our orders. We’re sorry for waiting your time with our indecision.”

Shocked but not willing to stand around on the clock, Wooyoung walked off to enter the order into the POS. He kept glancing at the rival group, but they paid him no mind as they talked amongst themselves.

Wooyoung tended to some other tables, handing out platters of fresh coffee, bagels, muffins and juice to the countless tables. He wiped his brow, passed the orders off with a smile and went to the back to grab another order, doing this until everyone was taken care of.

Wooyoung cleaned off a few tables once some patrons left, going back to the register to close the orders into the system. As he worked, someone approached the counter.

“Can I talk to you for a sec?” He looked up and locked eyes with Soojin. Her expression was unreadable as she sipped from her glass of water.

“Was everything okay with your order?” Wooyoung asked, raising a brow.

She rolled her eyes, cracking a smile. “You know that’s not what I came over here to talk to you about. Although, the smoothies and tea are delicious here, I can’t even lie.”

He bit back a smile and tilted his head. “Good to hear. What do you want to talk about?”

“My teammates mean no harm or ill intentions. They just take great pride in themselves, the same way you- I mean Choi San’s team, takes pride in what they do as well. Please, don’t think badly of us.” Soojin explained, her expression genuine.

“I don’t think badly of you at all. You guys are no joke from what I’ve read.” Wooyoung waved his hand. “I just get a bit protective when it comes to the skating team.”

“The skating team?” She grinned, raising a brow. “Or protective of San?”

Wooyoung ignored the warmth on his cheek and stuck out his tongue. “I plead the fifth.”

“Whatever. You’re still guilty.” Soojin stuck her tongue out in retaliation, her face gentle. “It’s okay to be in love with someone, even if they’re dedicated to their sport.”

“You sound like you speak from experience.” Wooyoung mused.

Surprisingly, Soojin shrugged. “You could say that. I’ve been in a relationship with someone that skates as well, from another school. It’s been complicated and stressful, especially with the season in full swing.”

“I’m sure you’ll work it out.” Wooyoung reassured. He didn’t know why he was so comfortable with Soojin, but he found himself enjoying her easy company.

“Same to you. I’ve heard San is quite cute.” Soojin teased.

Wooyoung couldn’t ignore the second wave of heat on his face. “I- He and I aren’t a thing…”

“Oh?” She seemed confused, her head tilting. “I just thought that since you defend him and blush whenever he’s brought up that you were an item. I’m sorry for assuming.”

“It’s alright.” Wooyoung rubbed his neck, his heart pounding in his chest.

“Well, why don’t you date him?” She asked, as though it was the world’s simplest solution (which it probably was.)

“I can’t. He loves skating and he’s been my best friend. I refuse to be the thing that stands in the way of him and his passion.” Wooyoung explained sadly.

To his horror, Soojin laughed, soft but just loud enough. “Boys are so ridiculous.” She leaned in close, poking Wooyoung’s cheek. “Who says he has to choose?”

Wooyoung opened his mouth to speak but couldn’t form a reaction or a comeback.

“Just something to think about.” Soojin leaned back and flipped her hair. “If you’re not sure, just know that Seonghwa really thinks highly of you. He needs a boyfriend or a good fuck to keep him calm after practice, he’s been driving me crazy.”

Wooyoung stared at her in shock. She met his gaze and scoffed. “Don’t act like you don’t curse, punk. We’re both adults here.”

Wooyoung crossed his arms over his chest, then went back to his POS. “I don’t care if you curse or not. I just don’t understand why Seonghwa is so interested in me. I’ve only seen him twice and I don’t know what he wants from me.”

“Maybe he thinks you’re cute? He’s very honest about his feelings and I think he has a crush on you.” Soojin sipped her water, her eyes on the counter. “He’s not a bad guy. Attractive and hard-headed, but he’s got a good heart. Don’t judge him so quickly, just because he and San will be competing against one another.”

Wooyoung felt whiplash, his heart and mind freezing in shame. How could this girl read him so easily, better than anyone else or even himself? It was scary and he felt exposed in front of this stranger.

Soojin seemed to sense his unease and sighed. “I’m sorry if I said too much. I tend to be very blunt and I sometimes forget to be kind. I didn’t come over here to mess with you. I came here to fully invite you.”

“Invite me?” Wooyoung said weakly, staring at her wearily.

“To one of our practices. Bring your school’s skating team and we can practice together. It’ll be lots of fun, I promise.” Soojin smiled. “Come by on Monday after three pm and don’t be late.

She stood up and walked off back to her teammates, leaving Wooyoung nervous and strangely anticipating Monday. He pulled out his phone and messaged San with the news.

*

Two days later, Wooyoung, San, Yeosang, Yeonjun and the school skating team were standing in front of the Sungkyunkwan University skating rink. It was double the size of the home campus. Wooyoung felt nervous.

“Why are you guys here?” Wooyoung asked his best friend and Yeonjun. He had no idea why the duo decided to tag along- they didn’t even watch sports.

“To support San and his amazing team,” Yeosang stated simply, then continued, “and to make sure that you don’t pass out from worry, Wooyoung.”

“I’m here because I’m off for the rest of the day and I wanted to hang out with Yeosang.” Yeonjun hummed, hugging his boyfriend by the waist, earning a soft giggle and blush from the smaller male.

Wooyoung gagged.

“Thanks for coming with us. We appreciate the support, even though it’s just a small practice between two schools.” San said to Yeosang and Yeonjun, his smile soft and relaxed.

“We never get asked to go out for practices.” A tall male with pouty pink lips and dimples said. “I’m honestly super excited to see other skaters in their element.”

“I have to agree with Soobin. I’m so fired up and hype to be here!” A girl with her long brown hair tied into two buns on her head nodded, smiling as she high-fived Soobin.

“Leave it to Yuqi and Soobin to be the energy makers. I can’t help but get pumped up with them around.” A shorter, blonde-haired female with cat-like eyes chuckled, zipping up her coat to her chin and performing a dab that had the whole group cheering.

San looked at his team with a smile. “To see Soyeon excited means today is going to go great.”

Wooyoung looked at his best friend, his fingers mindlessly playing with the edge of his scarf. “Where’s Hongjoong and Shuhua?”

“Hongjoong had to drop his little sister to her dance class and Shuhua is waiting for her mom to pick her up. They’ll be here soon.” San hummed, glancing at his phone. “We should probably head in now.”

Biting his lip, Wooyoung reached out and grabbed San’s hand. “Are you sure you want to do this?” He had no idea what he was so afraid of, it’s not like Seonghwa’s team would eat them or anything, but he still felt so _uneasy_.

San smiled, resting his head against Wooyoung’s. “Everything will be okay. It’s just a joint practice. We’re here to learn from our competition, have a good time and go home. No harm, no foul. Nothing is going to happen, Wooyoung. I promise.”

Knowing that San wouldn’t change his mind, Wooyoung nodded. “Alright. I’ll be here if you need me.”

“Thanks.” San nodded, squeezing his best friend’s hand before turning towards the skating rink entrance. Taking a deep breath, he looked at his team, pushed the door open and marched inside.

The air was a bit colder inside, but it was filled with music and laughter. They walked past the front desk and entered the rink, setting their bags down as Wooyoung watched the bundled-up skaters on the ice.

Soojin and her team were in full practice mode. Wooyoung spotted her in a stretch as she flowed along the ice without strain; Huening Kai was paired with Miyeon in a couple’s routine, both of their movements in sync and filled with passion. At the other end of the rink, Beomgyu was in the middle of a large leap that turned into a Biellmann spin, calculated and effortless.

Before Wooyoung could stare at the competition, a girl with long red hair and doe-like eyes approached him. “Excuse me, this is a private practice.”

“We were invited by Soojin to participate in the practice.” San explained, putting his dimples and charm on full-display.

Wooyoung rolled his eyes. “Soojin!” He yelled, successfully gaining said woman’s attention from the across the rink.

Rolling her eyes, she skated her way over, then walked the rest of the way to approach them. “You’re so obnoxious. Why are you so loud this early in the day?” She huffed.

Wooyoung raised a brow. “First off, it’s three in the afternoon. Second, tell her that we’re here for the joint practice you invited us to.”

Soojin looked at the girl and waved her hand. “They’re good, Minnie. The loud one is just their pet, all bark and no bite.”

Wooyoung forced back a response as Soobin and the rest started laughing. “You’re lucky you’re not a guy.”

“Doesn’t matter if I were a man or not, I’ll still kick your ass, anytime and anywhere.” Soojin winked, her smile cute but her eyes dangerous.

“Damn, she’s hot.” Soobin whistled under his breath.

“I’d smash.” Yuqi quipped, earning laughter in response.

Soojin laughed and tilted her head. “Go get changed and meet us out here in ten minutes. We’re gonna be doing some more warm ups then some basic form routines.” With that, she walked back into the rink, skating over to her teammates to talk silently.

Wooyoung sat in the stands while the team walked off to the direction of the locker rooms. Beside him, Yeosang put his feet up and leaned back.

“Where did Yeonjun go?” Wooyoung asked, not taking his eyes off the rink, watching how they moved on the ice.

“To grab us some snacks and soda from the concession stand.” Yeonjun replied. He was silent for a moment, then looked at his best friend. “You can relax, you know. Nothing is going to happen.”

Wooyoung huffed. “I’m fine. I’m just worried that San is going to overexert himself and get sick again.” Even he could hear how weak that sounded.

“Uh-huh, nice try,” Yeosang let out a sigh and shook his head. “Everything is going to be okay, Wooyoung. Stop getting so invested and letting the competition bother you. You’re not even on the team, so don’t stress them out with your worrying.”

Wooyoung faced his friend with a glare, his hands beginning to shake for some strange reason. He felt vulnerable, just like when Soojin talked to him at work.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean? These are my friends you’re talking about. I want them to do well and not be psyched out. I’m allowed to worry for them.” Wooyoung argued, trying not to let any emotions boil to the surface.

“Okay and I’m your best friend, and you need to take a step back.” Yeosang replied easily, his eyes on the rink. “You think they’re not nervous? You think they’re not scared for Regionals and whatever comes next? They have to be perfect, just like our friends. The pressure is everywhere, not just on us and they’re handling it as best as they can. They’re still learning and have the same emotions we do.”

Wooyoung bit his lip and watched Soojin and Miyeon stretch, their movements gentle but their eyes strained as they focused.

Beomgyu and Huening Kai were practicing their jumps, but Beomgyu skid, while Huening Kai used too much force and fell over. Both got back up and laughed before trying it again, the girls cheering them on with big smiles.

They weren’t perfect at all. They were still learning and growing with one another, just like San’s team.

“Remember, we’re just spectators in this sport. We have no say in what comes next, no matter the outcome, so try not to get too invested.” Yeosang patted his friend’s shoulder with a smile, just as Yeonjun came back with the snacks.

“Want some, Woo? I got Swedish fish.” Yeonjun offered, plopping down next to his boyfriend and leaning over to offer a handful of gummies to his friend.

Before, Wooyoung couldn’t even think about eating he was so nervous. However, he took a few gummies with a relaxed smile, his free hand caressing the scarf San gave him. “Thanks, Jun. I’m starving.”

*

“One, two, three! Good, once more! One, two and three!” Minnie chanted, looking over both teams and smiling as they bent down to touch their toes, the groans in harmony.

“How many more stretches are we going to do? It’s been nearly twenty minutes!” Huening Kai whined.

“Huening Kai is right,” Miyeon chimed in, her lips pulled into a pout. “We’ve been practicing since before they even got here!”

“They need to see how we train. In return, they can teach us how they train.” Minnie explained. “For the outburst, the Sungkyunkwan team gets another rep of ten!”

The team groaned. San waved his hand with a smile. “It’s okay, we’ll do it with you. It’s only fair.”

San’s team glared.

“I hate that you’re our team captain.” Soyeon muttered.

From outside the rink, two people came bursting in. The first one to appear, a male with large brown eyes and beautifully pushed back grey hair, panted.

“S-Sorry for being late! Shuhua and I are here!” He gasped, the said girl appearing behind him as they both hunched over in attempts to catch their breath.

“Lunch penalty for Hongjoong and Shuhua.” Yuqi said in her signature honey voice.

Hongjoong paled, his face even whiter than the ice. “Anything but that, at least until I get paid in a week. I told San ahead of time that we would be late, so I don’t deserve the penalty!”

Soyeon and Yuqi hummed, while Soobin patted Hongjoong’s head. “Let’s see how practice goes, and then we’ll decide your fate, tiny hyung.”

“I hate you all.” Hongjoong pouted, stretching out his arms while Shuhua spun slowly in a circle, her eyes on her feet.

San, mid-stretch, looked at the other team. “So, are you guys excited for Regionals?”

Soojin looked over San’s face, then his team with a shrug. “’Excited’ is a subjective term. It’s a lot of stress but I am excited to be competing again. It makes me feel like all of this time practicing was worth it.”

“It’ll be me and Huening Kai’s first competition.” Beomgyu said, his expression unreadable but his eyes were bright. “Do you have any tips for us?”

Soojin looked at her skates, then tilted her head back to look at the ceiling, unbothered by the lights. “Stay focused and do your best.”

“You’re forgetting the most important thing.” A voice called.

Everyone looked up.

Walking onto the ice was Seonghwa, his hair a gentle ash-grey that made his skin practically glow. He wore a black coat and denim jeans, his face relaxed as he looked over his own team, then San’s team.

“Stay focused and do your best of course,” Seonghwa continued, smiling softly, “but don’t forget to have _fun._ Don’t forget the reason why you chose to skate. I know you didn’t spend all this time perfecting your techniques because you hate it. Let yourself go and let your love for the sport guide you through.”

Both teams hummed in agreement. Beomgyu skated over to Seonghwa, earning a head pat and smile in greeting, while the rest all moved a little closer to one another.

Thy were like a family.

Biting his lip, San looked at his team and shrugged. “Sounds like we need to cut loose and have fun sometimes.”

“ _We_ do, hyung. _You’re_ the one that doesn’t have fun when we practice.” Soobin said, his lips curled into a pout.

San tried to laugh it off, but it sounded strained. “I just have a lot on my mind, that’s all.”

“This sport is your bread and butter and you’re amazing at it, but you treat it like it’s some kind of curse.” Soyeon reasoned gently, her eyes soft.

“We know you’re busting your ass night and day to make sure you’re nothing less than perfect, but perfection only gets you so far. We want you to do well and enjoy these times. Let loose a bit, yeah?” Yuqi asked, offering a smile.

Shuhua didn’t say a word, but she offered San a small smile, patting his arm gently.

“We’re all in this together, San. Let’s be the best we can be and have fun. We only have this one life, so let’s make our time together filled with happiness.” Hongjoong agreed, patting San’s head. He was older and always knew what to say to make things better.

San looked at his teammates and friends with a smile, hugging them individually with a chuckle. “Sorry I’m so lame.”

“The only lame one here is Hongjoong. Don’t think we didn’t catch that High School Musical reference.” Soyeon grinned, taking off on the ice with Hongjoong hot on her heels.

San looked on with a smile, until his eyes drifted to where Wooyoung was. He looked at his best friend and eyed the scarf on his neck, an emotion welling in his chest that he ignored as best as he could.

_“You don’t just clear your mind and have fun?”_

Laughing to himself, he nodded slowly. “I’ll do my best to have more fun for you, Wooyoung.” He whispered, moving slowly on the ice.

Then, he picked up speed. He felt eyes on him but ignored it, switching from skating forwards to skating backwards, spinning a few times as gracefully and controlled as possible.

He turned with one leg out, then dipped to a spin squat, staying centered and coming back up into a rapid spin with his arms raised high. Once the spin fizzled out, he picked up speed once more, turning the corner and bracing his body.

He pushed off one foot and spun once, twice, three times, four…

And landed perfectly onto the same foot, arms out gracefully and smiling from head to toe as his teammates cheered in response.

He did a few extra loops and spins, finishing off the freestyle with a triple axel, slow spin and a bow.

Seonghwa’s team clapped and cheered in response, their eyes tender as Soobin and Yuqi screamed at the top of his lungs like they were at a football game. The others hooted and hollered, whistling proudly.

San laughed with a big smile as he hugged and high-fived his teammates, basking in their praise.

Once more he looked out into the stands and locked eyes with Wooyoung.

His best friend had tears in his eyes, his face red and his smile shaky as he waved to San. He looked so proud and San felt warmth, along with many other feelings, fill him from his head to his toes.

Maybe having fun wasn’t a bad thing after all.

*

“Seonghwa, you should go next.” Minnie offered from beside the said male.

“Me?” Seonghwa echoed, looking at his friends with wide eyes. “Why me?”

“The other team captain just performed, it’s only right that you do so as well.” Beomgyu explained.

“Besides, we can’t let them upstage us on our home turf.” Miyeon grinned with a good-natured expression.

“That’s fair. I could use the warmup.” Seonghwa said, earning some cheers as he skated to the center of the rink.

He usually performed with music, but for the first time in awhile, he let the silence fill his body. He let the calm relax him until his breathing and mind were steady, then slowly got into position.

He thought of Wooyoung, watching him and his team and felt a sense of pride wash over him. The younger male hadn’t seen him skate yet.

He had to give him a proper show.

Taking a deep breath, Seonghwa opened his eyes and took off along the ice, fast and filled with confidence in each step and spin.

If San was a more emotional and refined skater, Seonghwa was more of a power and technical skater. If San was a dancer on the ice, Seonghwa was a warrior.

He took each turn, loop and spin with raw energy, controlled and powerful in a way that demanded your attention. His eyes drew you in while his body performed with a grace and power that few could match.

Not wanting to show off all of his tricks, he squatted and skated on one knee, his hand reaching for the ceiling before he quickly gained speed and performed a triple loop, followed by a lutz and his signature smile.

He skated freely, his limbs out and free as he twirled and leapt playfully on the ice, letting go of his stress for the day. He ended with a rapid spin, so fast he was a blur and a clean bow, breathing heavily and grinning to himself.

He smiled at his teammates and bowed to San’s team, who cheered happily at his performance.

Wiping his face with a towel Beomgyu passed to him, he wiped the sweat from his face and looked up at the stands, where Wooyoung was watching him.

He knew Wooyoung didn’t like him, but Seonghwa wasn’t a quitter. He liked the way Wooyoung carried himself, how confident he was and how loyal he was to San. He couldn’t help but grow curious about what the male dreamed of, what he thought of and how he could manage to love someone one-sided.

 _He must be lonely,_ Seonghwa thought.

Unable to stop himself, he smiled at Wooyoung and winked, chuckling as the male blushed and turned away in response.

Regionals was going to be fun this year.

*

In the stands, Yeosang looked breathless as he patted Wooyoung’s shoulder. “Looks like Regionals is gonna have some tough competition.”

Wooyoung looked at between Seonghwa and San, his heart racing in his chest as he struggled to bottle the emotions filling his whole body.

“Yeah. In more ways than one.” Wooyoung whispered, closing his eyes and praying for the strength to get through the upcoming competition.

-

_From Wooyoung’s diary:_

_My love was drawn to the ice_

_And to the person that smiled like the sun_

_Every time I saw him, a flame reignited_

_A love unhindered by none._

_But the way the moon would stare_

_In a crowd of people and color_

_He looked so lonely yet still smiled,_

_Softer and I couldn’t help but wonder…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Q: What do you think of the added cast? What kind of performances would you like to see from each individual skater?  
> I can't wait to write out the routines for certain characters; I'm so excited!

**Author's Note:**

> Comments/kudos give me strength <3
> 
> Come chat with me on twitter @monstabaebae
> 
> Thank you all for reading <3


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